Button feeding attachment for sewing machines



Dec. 29, 1959 N. o. BRoDERsoN 2,918,835

BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 4 sheets-sheet 1 FiledFeb. 24, 1958 INVENTOR NE/L O BRDERSO/V W 5 ATTORNEYS mm. Nm.

Dec. 29, 1959 N, o. BRoDr-:RsoN

BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledFeb. 24, 1958 INVENTOR NE/L O. BPODERSO/V ATTORNEY.,

Dec. 29, 1959 N. o. BRoDERsoN 2,918,885

BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 24, 1958 4sheets-sheet 5 KM f'ue illll Mummia 80 ATTORNEYS BUTTON FEEDINGATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 24, 1958 Dec. 29, 1959 N. o.BRoDERsoN 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 24 lNvENToR VE/L 0 BRODERSON /MTZSM BY [W455M ATTORNEYS BUTTON FEEDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Neil O.Broderson, Rochester, N.Y., assignor to Speed Feed Machine Corporation,Rochester, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application February 24,1958, Serial No. 717,208

2 Claims. (Cl. 112-113) held in sewing position relative to the needleof the' sewing machine.

Another object of the invention is the production of a button feedingapparatus wherein the buttons are permitted to freely feed from anassociated hopper by gravity in a first position and when in a secondposition the apparatus is caused to snugly engage the button to be sewn.

A further object of the invention is to produce an attachment for asewing machine for feeding buttons to a sewing position and thereholding them in place during the operation, which apparatus is ofextremely simple and inexpensive design and construction providing aninitial low cost sewing machine attachment which may be inexpensivelymaintained.

Still a further object of the present invention is to produce a buttonfeeding attachment for use with a sewing machine which is substantiallyuniversally adaptable for attachment to and operation with any of thestandard makes of sewing machines presently available.

These and other objects may be eiiectively achieved by a button feedingapparatus for attachment to a button type sewing machine including ahopper, a button guiding chute having one end in communication with thehopper and the other end terminating in a spring biased button engagingarrangement and cam means for urging the spring biased arrangement outof engagement with the buttons in the chute when the apparatus is in anon-sewing position whereby the buttons are free to slide to the bottomportion of the chute.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become manifest tothose skilled in the art from reading the following detailed descriptionin conjunction with the drawing in which- Figure l is a side elevationof the button feeding apparatus attached to a sewing machine with aportion of the button hopper broken away,

Figure 2 is a vertical elevation taken in the direction of the needle ofthe machine with button feeder in a raised position,

' Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational view similar to Figure 2 withthe button feeder in its lowermost position,

Figure 4 is a sectional view of the button feeder attachment taken alongline 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the invention taken along line 5 5 ofFigure 4 showing the attachment in its lowermost sewing position similarto the position shown in Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but shows the button feedingattachment in a raised position.

2,918,885 Patented Dec. 29, 1959 ICC Referring to the accompanyingdrawings, there is shown a sewing machine, generally designated at 10,which in? cludes a supporting base 12 from which is projectedhorizontally a Work supporting arm 14 which carries at one end thereof astandard 16 which, in turn, supports the usual drive shaft housing 18horizontally above the work support arm 14. A needle bar 20 is carriedWithin the extended end of the drive shaft housing 18 and pro-v jectsdownwardly therefrom. TheV needle bar 20 is mounted for reciprocatingmovement relative to the work support 22 carried on the extended end ofthe work support arm 14 by means of the usual cam drive mechanism fromthe cam shaft of the machine.

Supported lengthwise of the upper face of the work support arm 14 is aslide bar 24 which carries the work support means 22 on the upper facethereof on its outwardly extended end and which is connected at itsinner most end toward the standard 16 to the lower end of an arm 26. Thearm 26 is substantially vertically disposed within a semi-tubularhousing 28, the upper end of which is secured to a shaft 3i). The otherend of shaft 30 is connected to one end of an arm 32, the secondextended end of which 'carries a cam roller 34 mounted within a camtrack 36 in a wheel 38 rotatably mounted on an axle 40 within thestandard 16 of the machine. The power source of the sewing machine, notshown, is employed to drive the axle 40.

The arm 26 carries a block 42 which is adjustably secured longitudinallyof the arm 26 by means of a thumb screw 44. The block 42 is frictionallysecured vertically within the semi-tubular housing 2S to permit itsadjustment vertically therein and vertically relative to said arm 26.The adjustment of the block 42 within the semitubular housing varies theeffective length of the stroke of the lowermost end of the arm 26induced by the oscillation of the wheel carrying end of the arm 32 dueto alternately arranged offset portions 46 in the track 36 in which thecam wheel 38 rolls. This alternate reciprocal movement of the lower endof the arm 26 causes reciprocation of the slide bar 24 lengthwise of thetop face of the work support arm 14, thereby producing reciprocalmovement of the work support member 22 secured thereon relative to thesewing needle 48 positioned substantially vertically thereabove in theneedle bar 20.

In addition to the foregoing apparatus which effects reciprocal movementof the work holding means 22 relative to the vertical alignment of thesewing needle 48, the sewing machine is also provided with a blockmember 50 secured by bolt means 52 to the slide bar 24 at a pointthereon remote to the work holding means and adjacent the standardmember of the machine. The block 50 in turn supports an elongatey arm 54which extends in horizontal spaced relationship above the slide bar 24in the direction of the work holding means 22 and which carries on thedistal end thereof an arm 56. Associated with the arm S4 is a flatspring member 55 anchored at one end to the top of the block 50 whilethe other end urges the extended end of the arm 54 downwardly toward thework supporting arm 14. The arm 56 connects the button feedingattachment of the present invention to the sewing machine as will bedescribed in detail hereinafter and, additionally, is connected to workholding lift rod 57 of the sewing machine. The lift rod 57 extendsvertically through the head portion of the machine and is connected to arocker arm 58 mounted along the upper shaft housing of the machine. Theend of the rocker arm 58 opposite to that which is connected to the leftrod 57 is connected to the power means of the sewing machine or to afoot pedal whereby the sew-4 ing machine operator may impart verticallyreciprocating movement to the lift rod 57. The lower'end of the lift rod57 is attached to af bracket 59 which engages the under surface of aninverted L-shaped pin 6i) which is suitably fastened to the arm 56 suchthat when the rocker arm 58 effects vertical movement of the lift rod57, the arms 54 and 56 are simultaneously rocked upwardly or downwardlyabout the block 50.

By the foregoing construction the reciprocal movement of the slide bar24, as hereinabove described, will cause simultaneous reciprocalmovement of the block 50 therewith which, in turn, imparts likereciprocal movement of the arm 54 supported from the block Si) causingoscillation or reciprocation of the work supporting means 22. At thesame time, the foot portion of the L-shaped rod 6i) will slide relativeto the bracket 59 carried by the lift rod S7, maintaining constantvertical contact between these elements at all times.

The button feeding attachment constituting the present invention incombination with a sewing machine of the type described above consistsgenerally of a vertically inclined chute 68 having attachment at itslower end to the bracket 56 to the presser foot member 62.

The chute 68 supports from its upper and outermost end a tray typebutton hopper 70. The chute 63 is provided with a button channel 72therein which extends from the lowermost end adjacent the presser foot62 to communicate with the hopper 7@ through a button orienting andpositioning gate N8. Where desired, a vibration dampening and supportmember il-i may be disposed beneath the projected end of the hopper 7@and has its other end supported on a work surface or support surface asat 76.

In more particular detail, the chute 68 consists of a pair of plates 78and 8i) which are secured by nut and bolt members S2 carrying spacerelements 83 intermediate the plates in parallel spaced relationship. Thelowermost end of the plate 73 is provided with substantiallyhorizontally projecting resilient fingers Se which extends beyond thespacer elements S3.

There is provided at the lower portion of the chute 68, a clampingspring 36 which is suitably secured thereto by a pair of threadedfasteners 88. The free end of the clamping spring is formed to haveinwardly turned lips 90 which normally are caused to bear against theresilient fingers S4 of the plate 78, causing the fingers 84 to bearagainst the lowermost buttons. The upper lip 90 fits snugly in back ofthe shank 162 of the button to be sewed to militate against anyretrograde movement of the button.

A bracket or guide 92 is riveted or otherwise secured to the side of theclamping spring 86. it will be noted that the upstanding portion of thebracket 92 is curved slightly outwardly as is particularly manifest inFigures and 6.

From an examination of Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, it will be noted that thelower end of the plate Si) is provided with a recessed portion 94 withinwhich is disposed a small spring stop 96. The spring stop 96 acts tomilitate against the downward and outward passage of buttons which arecaused to slide within the passageway formed between the plates 73 and8i).

The plate 78 is provided with a continuous slot 9S opening through theprojected end of the plate, where it defines the spaced apart resilientfingers iid and extendlng substantially centrally thereof outwardly andupwardly to communicate with an enlarged slotted area 1W shown in Figure2 immediately adjacent the upper end of the plate and openingtherethrough. The slot 98 is of such configuration as to frictionallyengage the Drojected shank portions 02 of the buttons M34 whichl areslidably introduced into the channel defined by the plates 7S, Si) andthe spacer elements 83.

The shanks of the buttons are provided with fiat sides as shown, forexample, in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings so that the Shanks of thebuttons will always be Lil il delivered down the slot 98 in properalignment relative to the needle.

The upper outermost end of the plate S0, as illustrated clearly inFigure l, is turned outwardly and rearwardly of the machine atsubstantially right angles to form a substantially horizontal platform106.

The button hopper has a bottom slightly inclined in the position of thechute 68 and is provided with a button orienting and positioning gate108. The gate 108 is merely an upstanding wall in which is formed aplurality of openings as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2. The openingsare of a configuration slightly larger than and conforming to the sizeand shape of the buttons 104 being fed into the sewing machine. Theseopenings permit to passage of only those buttons having their shankportion disposed upwardly, thereby providing that all the buttonspassing into the chute 68 have their shank portion extending outwardlythrough the slot 98.

The portion of the bottom of the hopper 70 which extends over theplatform i436 is provided with a cover plate 110 which prevents buttonsfrom being displaced or rearranged in their passage from the gate MBS tothe button feeding chute 68. Likewise, a vertical cover plate 112secured to the upper end of plate 78 and having the upper end thereofturned inwardly forms a continuation of the cover plate 1li) immediatelyadjacent the angular bend between the plate 8f? and the platform 106.

The vibration dampening support member 74 consists of a pair oftelescoping tubes ille and H6 with the upper inner tube 115 slidablymounted in the lower tube which has a iianged bottom support 76 forattachment to a supporting surface. The upper tube H4 is provided with aresilient cylindrical member M6 which is engaged beneath the bottom ofthe hopper 70. The vertical disposition of the support member 74 isadjusted by a thumb screw 113 for the purpose of controlling the amountof vibration of the hopper 7@ from the sewing machine movement toprovide the proper agitation and movement of the buttons in the hopperinto and through the orienting and positioning gate fitti.

Disposed on the bottom surface of the sewing machine housing lr6, thereis provided a release bracket R26 which is suitably secured thereto byfastening means 122. It will be noted that the bottom surface of therelease bracket 126 is formed to have knife-edge 124i.

Operation in operation of the button feeding attachment in combinationwith or in attachment to a sewing machine of the type described, shanktype buttons are placed in the outer region of the hopper or button tray7i) whereupon the vibration of the feeding attachment by reason of itsrigid connection to the reciprocating elements of the sewing machinewill cause the buttons to move through the positioning and orientinggate 198 which will permit the buttons, in proper position only, toenter the button feeding channel between the spaced plates 73 and Si)with the shank portions thereof projecting outwardly through and beingguided by the slot 98. By such button movement, the buttons will becaused to stack in the slot with the first button entering the slotretained between the plate Si) and the fingers S4 of the plate 78 andheld from movement out of the slot by the spring stop 96. The shank ofthe bottom-most button is disposed above the work support 22 and belowthe sewing needle 4S with the eye of the shank being vertically disposedin that position.

With the presser foot and feeding device in its depressed sewingposition (Figures l, 3, 4, and 5) the button shank is held directly onthe work holder 22. to contact with a fabric previously inserted beneaththe needle and the presser foot member with the eye of the shankdirectly above the usual cutout needle passage in the work supportmember 22. Cycled operation of the sewing machine will then causereciprocation of the needle downwardly through the shank eye of thebutton, the work support, the fabric and into the bobbin chamber of themachine. With a subsequent endwise or lengthwise reciprocation of thework support upon raising of the needle to permit alternate verticalpassage 0f the needle externally of the shank thereby causing a loopingof the thread through the fabric and the eye of the shank to secure thebutton to the fabric.

Following the timed interval of the sewing operation for a shank button,the lift arm 57 will be elevated by rocker arm 58 to raise the presserfoot 62 and the button feeding device as illustrated in Figures 2 and 6whereupon the cam surface 124 of the release bracket 120 Will contactthe guide 92 and cam the latter and its associated clamping spring 86away from the clamping fingers 84 of the plate 78. The pressureheretofore exerted on the buttons 104 by the clamping fingers 84 isrelieved and the buttons may now feed down the chute from the hopper 70by meansl of gravity and vibration imparted by the action of the sewingmachine. It will be appreciated that because the spring ngers no longergrip the bottom buttons they merely provide a continuation of the chutepermitting the buttons to slide freely down the chute 68 until cominginto contact with the spring stop 96.

When the feeder attachment is lowered into sewing position, the releasebracket 120 no longer holds the clamping spring 86 away from theclamping lingers 84 and the clamping spring 86 again exerts a pressureagainst the fingers 84 causing them to hold the bottom-most buttontightly in sewing position. Also, the upper turnedin end or lip 90 ofthe clamping spring 86 has dropped in back of the shank of the button tobe sewed thereby militating against any shift in position ormisalignment of the hole in the shank of the button with respect to theneedle 48 of the sewing machine.

At the end of the sewing cycle the button feeder assembly raises causingthe clamping spring 86 to release its pressure on the lingers 84 bymeans of the release bracket camming the release guide 92 and itsassociated clamping spring 86 away from the plate 78. The button whichhas been sewed on the garment is then pulled free from the ngers 84 anda new button slides into position for clamping and sewing by gravity andpressure of the column of buttons in the chute 68.

It will be appreciated that this invention has produced a new and usefulbutton feeding attachment for a sew ing machine which employs no cams orother pushing devices to place the buttons in sewing position. Theaction is accomplished entirely by gravity and vibration.

I claim: i

1. In a sewing machine attachment, a button feeder for buttons having ahead portion and a shank portion comprising a button container, amovable presser foot positioned below said container, a chute having anupper end communicating with said container and extending downwardly toa lower end integral with said presser foot, said chute including a sidewall with a slot formed therein for guiding the button shanks and achannel for guiding the button heads, a resilient arm mounted on saidside wall for engaging the bottommost button in said chute, an upwardlyprojecting guide member integral with said resilient arm, and stationarycam means adapted to be iixedly mounted on the sewing machine tocooperate with said guide member for camming said guide member and saidarm away from the buttons in said chute upon raising said presser footthereby allowing the buttons to move downwardly by the force of gravity.

2. In a sewing machine attachment, a button feeder for buttons having ahead portion and a shank portion comprising a button container, amovable presser foot positioned below said container, a chute having anupper end communicating with said container and extending downwardly toa lower end integral with said presser foot, said chute including a sidewall with a slot formed therein for guiding the button Shanks and achannel for guiding the button heads, a button stop member disposed insaid chute adjacent said presser foot, a resilient arm mounted on saidside wall for engaging the bottommost button in said chute, an upwardlyprojecting guide member integral with said resilient arm, and stationarycam means adapted to be fixedly mounted on the sewing machine tocooperate with said guide member for camming said guide member and saidarm away from the buttons in said chute upon raising said presser footthereby/.allowing the buttons to move downwardly by the force ofgravity.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

